14 Year Old Travel Photographer and Blogger

Here’s some interesting statistics. You are more likely to die from obesity than terrorism. A toddler has a higher chance of killing you than a terrorist. In the past 5 years, you were 4 times more likely to be struck by lightning than killed by a terrorist. 4 times!! Unless you’ve been struck by lightning anytime recently, I don’t think you need to be worried.

Of course, that doesn’t mean you don’t need to be aware. In 2016, a total of 25,600 deaths occurred via terrorism worldwide (although 6,700 of them were terrorists that died.) Although it seems like a high number, it is extremely low and even though your chances of being one of those people is minuscule, you still don’t want to take the chance.

Terrorism is just that. Terror-ism. It occurs on the basis that people will get scared, even when they don’t need to be. Please, do not change your travel plans, or avoid making any, because of terrorism. I know all the attacks in Paris, Brussels and Nice have shaken some of us. And I don’t want to be the one to act like terrorism isn’t a huge deal, because it is. But we can’t let fear win.

For example, I was up the One World Trade Center a few months ago. On 9/11, the buildings that used to stand right next to where I was were destroyed, supposedly by an act of terrorism. Just last week, 3 people tried to blow up parts of New York City. But are you going to get hurt by those? No.

WTC1

The chances of you being killed by a terrorist is 1 in 9.3 million. You are 11 times more likely to die from slipping in the shower. 500 times more likely to die in a car accident. 2 times more likely to become an astronaut, and 3 times more likely to see a UFO today! You are even 14 times more likely to win a gold medal in the Olympics today. So unless you’re Buzz Aldrin or Michael Phelps (Who has won 28 gold medals in the Olympics. Uh oh.) don’t worry!